American football darts

ABSTRACT

An American football style dart board and game. The dart board includes an annular frame and a dart surface disposed within the frame. The dart surface includes a plurality of dividers. An inner concentric divider defines a center target. A plurality of radial dividers define target segments. A plurality of outer concentric dividers define target sub-segments within each of the target segments. Indicia is disposed within each of the target sub-segments and the center target. The indicia include a type of American football play that is one of a negative play and a positive play.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of priority of U.S. provisionalapplication No. 62/589,855, filed Nov. 22, 2017, the contents of whichare herein incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to darts and, more particularly, toAmerican football darts.

American football has become the most popular sport in the UnitedStates. Consumers are always looking for new ways in which to play thegame of football and bring the experience of being in the game.

As can be seen, there is a need for a dart board and game thatincorporates American football.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one aspect of the present invention, a method of playing dartscomprises: providing a dart board comprising: an annular frame; a dartsurface disposed within the frame and comprising: an inner concentricdivider defining a center target; a plurality of radial dividers formingtarget segments; a plurality of outer concentric dividers definingtarget sub-segments within each of the target segments; and indiciadisposed within each of the target sub-segments and the center target,wherein the indicia comprise a type of American football play comprisingone of a negative play and a positive play; and throwing darts at thedart board by a plurality of players, wherein hitting one or morepositive plays leads to a win and hitting one or more negative playsleads to a loss.

In another aspect of the present invention, a dart board comprises: anannular frame; a dart surface disposed within the frame and comprising:an inner concentric divider defining a center target; a plurality ofradial dividers forming target segments; a plurality of outer concentricdividers defining target sub-segments within each of the targetsegments; and indicia disposed within each of the target sub-segmentsand the center target, wherein the indicia comprise a type of Americanfootball play comprising one of a negative play and a positive play.

These and other features, aspects and advantages of the presentinvention will become better understood with reference to the followingdrawings, description and claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front elevation view of an embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged detail view of a section of an embodiment of thepresent invention;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged detail view of a section of an embodiment of thepresent invention;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged detail view of a section of an embodiment of thepresent invention;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged detail view of a section of an embodiment of thepresent invention;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged detail view of a section of an embodiment of thepresent invention;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged detail view of a section of an embodiment of thepresent invention;

FIG. 8 is an enlarged detail view of a section of an embodiment of thepresent invention;

FIG. 9 is an enlarged detail view of a section of an embodiment of thepresent invention; and

FIG. 10 is a detail cross-sectional view taken along line 10-10 of FIG.1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The following detailed description is of the best currently contemplatedmodes of carrying out exemplary embodiments of the invention. Thedescription is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merelyfor the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention,since the scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims.

The present invention includes American football darts. The presentinvention provides a new way for football fans to incorporate the sportinto a game and allows them to do so with the combined fun andexcitement of playing darts. The sections of the dartboard all have beendesignated to represent various outcomes of a “play” in Americanfootball. Although the dart board has been uniquely configured, theoutcomes are common football outcomes (i.e. interception, touch down,etc.). Therefore, the true uniqueness of the game comes when combiningdartboard with the rules of the game, which comes with each board. Dartsare thrown at the dart board by each player. The score of each dart isbased on what section each corresponding dart lands on the board.

Referring to FIGS. 1 through 10, the present invention includes anAmerican football style dart board 10. The dart board 10 includes anannular frame 30 and a dart surface 32 disposed within the frame 30. Thedart surface 32 includes a plurality of dividers. An inner concentricdivider 38 defines a center target. A plurality of radial dividers 40define target segments. A plurality of outer concentric dividers 42define target sub-segments within each of the target segments. Indicia36 is disposed within each of the target sub-segments and the centertarget. The indicia 36 include a type of American football play that isone of a negative play and a positive play.

The frame 30 of the present invention may further includes a backing 34.The dart surface 32 may include a fibrous board. In alternativeembodiments, the dart surface 32 may be an electronic dart surface, amagnetic dart surface, a hook and look fastener dart surface, or anytype of surface that releasably attaches to corresponding darts. Forexample, the dart surface 32 may be produced as an electronic dartboard.Electronic scoring computers are preprogrammed to keep the score of thegame. In such embodiments, the board is made of plastic facings withsmall holes. The holes slant out, allowing the plastic-tipped darts tostick inside. When the plastic dart strikes the board, the section makescontact with a metal plate, telling the computer where the player hasthrown. For the hook and loop version, the darts may be replaced bysmall ping pong ball sized darts with two hook and loop fastener bandscircling each ball in cross formation. The dart board can also be madeas a magnetized dart boards with magnet darts.

In certain embodiments, the dart surface 32 may resemble an Americanfootball field. In such embodiments, the dividers are white and the dartsurface is green. The white dividers may be in a style that resembleswhite paint on an American football field. The green dart surface withthe fibrous board may represent a grass field.

Each board may come with a manual explaining how to play the game, howto score it, and a definition of all terms involved. The dart board maybe hung on the wall. The standard height from the floor to the middle ofthe dartboard is about 5 feet 8 inches. The distance between the frontof the board and the toe-line is about 7 feet 9.25 inches. Each playerhas four darts, which represents four downs. Each player throws one dartat the center of the board, representing the coin toss. The playerclosest to the Touch Down (TD) acronym in the middle of the board goesfirst. There are four quarters in each game. Each player gets fourpossessions (turns) each quarter, barring overtime. Each player strivesto get a touchdown. In the interim, the goal is to get first downs andultimately a first and goal. There are various ways to do so byfollowing the game rules (i.e. hitting two completed passes gets theplayer a first down). Once at first and goal the player has a few waysto score. The whole time the player must avoid the various danger spotson the board, such as throwing interceptions, punting, fumbling, etc.

A method of making the present invention may include the following. Thedart board is grass green and made of sisal fibers and bristle. The dartboard may be about 17¾ inches (451 mm) in diameter and is divided intoeight wedge-shaped slices. Each slice may have five sub-sections,totaling 41 different sections on the board. Each section is separatedwith a white line. Each section is labeled with a specific action inAmerican football in order to simulate that action. The goal of the gameis to score more than the opponent.

It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing relates toexemplary embodiments of the invention and that modifications may bemade without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as setforth in the following claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method of playing darts comprising: providing a dart board comprising: an annular frame; a dart surface disposed within the frame and comprising: an inner concentric divider defining a center target; a plurality of radial dividers forming target segments; a plurality of outer concentric dividers defining target sub-segments within each of the target segments; and indicia disposed within each of the target sub-segments and the center target, wherein the indicia comprise a type of American football play comprising one of a negative play and a positive play; and throwing darts at the dart board by a plurality of players, wherein hitting one or more positive plays leads to a win and hitting one or more negative plays leads to a loss.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the dart surface comprises a fibrous board.
 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the dividers are white and the dart surface is green.
 4. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of indicia comprise verbiage of more than one of interception, completed pass, 1^(st) down, fumble, 2-point conversion, interception and TD for defense, field goal, punt, 4^(th) down, short gain, penalty, Quarterback run, sack, and 1^(st) and goal.
 5. A dart board comprising: an annular frame; a dart surface disposed within the frame and comprising: an inner concentric divider defining a center target; a plurality of radial dividers forming target segments; a plurality of outer concentric dividers defining target sub-segments within each of the target segments; and indicia disposed within each of the target sub-segments and the center target, wherein the indicia comprise a type of American football play comprising one of a negative play and a positive play.
 6. The dart board of claim 5, wherein the dart surface comprises a fibrous board.
 7. The dart board of claim 5, wherein the dividers are white and the dart surface is green.
 8. The dart board of claim 5, wherein the plurality of indicia comprise verbiage of more than one of interception, completed pass, 1^(st) down, fumble, 2-point conversion, interception and TD for defense, field goal, punt, 4^(th) down, short gain, penalty, Quarterback run, sack, and 1^(st) and goal. 